Kerry-"Is this thing on"

[jacktruth]

I was a little surprised this didn't show up on this site yet:
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Kerry Not Sorry for Swipe at GOP Critics
33 minutes ago

By MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) says he does not intend to apologize for describing his critics in the Republican Party as "the most crooked ... lying group I've ever seen."



At the Capitol for meetings Thursday with congressional Democrats, Republican lawmakers called on the Massachusetts senator to stop what they said was name-calling and negative campaigning.


Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., said Republicans think of Kerry as "Ted Kennedy on a South Beach diet," a reference to the other Democratic senator from the Bay State.


Kerry refused to apologize and said he wouldn't sit still while the "Republican attack squad" routinely distorts his record. He noted the criticism came on the same day President Bush (news - web sites) unveiled the first negative ads of his re-election campaign, in which the Republican incumbent says Kerry is "wrong on taxes" and "wrong on defense."


"I have no intention whatsoever of apologizing for my remarks," Kerry said at a Capitol news conference. "I think the Republicans need to start talking about the real issues before the country."


At the center of the controversy was a comment Kerry made Wednesday in Chicago when a supporter urged him to take on Bush. "Let me tell you, we've just begun to fight," Kerry responded, apparently unaware that his lapel microphone was still recording. "We're going to keep pounding. These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen. It's scary."


Bush campaign chairman Marc Racicot said the remark was "unbecoming" of a presidential candidate.


House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said Kerry was "getting off on the wrong foot in this campaign by name-calling. We're not lying when we start saying that Senator Kerry is the old-time Democrat of tax and spend."


Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said the comment gave the public "a little glimpse of the real John Kerry."


Kerry said he was referring to Republican critics who distort his record.


"There is a Republican attack squad that specializes in trying to destroy people and be negative," he said. "I haven't said anything that's incorrect about them. They've said a lot of things that are incorrect."


Kerry also met privately at the Capitol on Thursday with John Edwards (news - web sites), and the two went to a nearby hotel to meet with 100 of the top fund-raisers who backed the North Carolina senator's presidential campaign. Edwards said handing over his operation to the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee amounted to a symbolic passing of the torch.


After a similar session Wednesday with former rival Howard Dean (news - web sites), campaign officials said Kerry and the former Vermont governor had agreed to a joint appearance March 25. A Dean endorsement was certain, officials familiar with the talks said.


Kerry has no public schedule Friday.
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I personally don't care if Kerry apologizes or not. But the most interesting thing about this situation, and you won't see this anywhere is that Kerry's first answer when questioned about this was, "I wasn't talking about the republicans."

But later in the day, after it got more attention, he claimed he was talking about the republicans and he won't apologize.

So, he calls the republicans liars, then his first reaction when asked about it was to lie.

And this is the smartest guy the democrats can come up with?

[Drbio]

Kerry is a mental midget.

[Mavdog]

I believe that you are mistaken, Kerry didn't attempt to "lie" about his remarks. In fact, he said nothing about the comment as he left Chicago but let his campaign people speak

Kerry did not take questions from reporters as his campaign plane flew from Chicago to Washington on Wednesday afternoon.

When asked about the remark, he stated that he wasn't referring to all republicans, but to the attack dogs who, among other things, doctored a picture of a young Kerry that placed him next to Jane fonda at a rally.

I doubt if anybody, or at least anybody with integrity, would consider doctoring a photo to be civil conduct in a political campaign.

Was the reference and comment to "crooked and lying" republicans a bit overboard? sure, in my mind it was, but then I've not had my photo used like that.

Chicago Trib story

[reeds]

"Kerry is a mental midget." HAHA.....lets be real..we all know he has forgotten more in his live than Bush has ever known...

And for the apology? Never apologize when you tell the truth... Kerry got caught saying something that should not have been heard- yes...but that talk goes on all the time with both parties..he just got caught....period

[Drbio]

Yes, a mental midget......much like yourself reeds. You are the consumate one trick pony and exhibit nothing more than waaa waa waaa my dimocrap daddy is bigger than your republican daddy.

edit--->And yes......he should apologize and at least attempt to show he has somewhat of a moral fiber by doing the right thing. I know this is extra difficult for dimocraps to do seeing the role model they had in Clintoon, but it would be refreshing to at least see them try to go through the motions.

[reeds]

"Yes, a mental midget......much like yourself reeds. You are the consumate one trick pony and exhibit nothing more than waaa waa waaa my dimocrap daddy is bigger than your republican daddy. "

Oh yes the great DRBIO- you are the smartest on the board- perhaps in all of texas, oh wait...perhaps the world..maybe you should run for President..all of Dallas will vote for you...the more conservative left wing city in the country..you should get out more...see the rest of the world...maybe go to sanfran..they would luv your views there..you might even get back home alive..if u kept your mouth shut...better idea...stay right where your at

[reeds]

Well thats good news.. i was just told in a PM that all of TEXAS is not like dallas...there are actually some cities out there that are on the liberal side- ......thats is good to hear..I was told "we are not all like Dallas and DrBIO"...thank the lord for that...

[Drbio]

Thank the lord that everyone here is not the consumate asshole like reeds. I am very thankful for that. Most people here actually contribute instead of only coming here to start up shit.

[OutletPass]

Would anyone else (besides me) like to see the political threads consolidated into one huge MF thread ?

My eyes are bleeding from the multiple discussions running over the same cliche ridden ground.

[Drbio]

Great idea OP. Then we would only have to go to one thread to see reeds drivel and rants about nothing.

[Psychedelic Fuzz]

hey Doc, reeds and OP! My independant clubhouse is better than your democrat clubhouse and your republican clubhouse.

[Drbio]

Where is the libertarian clubhouse? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[dude1394]

I think kerry should continue to get more and more strident. As he continues to get raked over the coals for flip-flopping and actually having no agenda other than (abb - anyone but bush) he will have to become more radicalized for anyone to listen to him.

He won't apologise for anything and that is as it should be. He shouldn't apologise for voting Against the first gulf war, then FOR the second. Nor should he apologise AGAINST supplying our troops in Iraq with funds. No he will just continue to carp and harp..Sort of like that other liberal from massachusetts. Only this Liberal (kerry) has a better liberal voting record than kennedy.

Trot him out dimocrats, let's see how the sunshine deals with him.